Learning How to Take NO and Say NO
For someone starting a business, the word “NO” can be a huge obstacle, especially when you’re providing a service. No one wants to hear it, and sometime it’s hard to say because of the fear that it could cost you business. I’ve learned though, that the sooner we tackle the NO’s, the sooner we can get down to business.
Taking NO
Regardless of the industry you’re in, if you want to generate business, you’ll have to prospect and market. I wish the success rate was 100% or oven close to that, but it’s not.The reality is that if you’re getting a 10% success rate, you’re doing pretty well. So realize that 9 out of 10 people you approach are going to say no. I prefer to be direct, but sometimes you’ll beat around the bush because you can tell the vibe is leading up to the Big NO. If you’re motivated, you’re going to think that you can change this NO, and you can, but only after they say NO. I learned this the hard way, spending so much time talking to people, thinking I could change what’s going on before they state their objections because I’ve heard them before.
The reality is most people listen to about 10 seconds of what you’re saying and then the rest of the time they’re tuning you out, anxious to say NO. Therefore, trying to avoid the NO is wasting your time. Let them state their objections, even though you’ve heard them, and work on those from a different perspective. At the end of the day I’ve heard NO more than a 100 times, and the last one doesn’t sound any better than the first one, but overcoming rejection is part of growth.
Some people will string you along, and you’ll have to know when to cut that short and move on even though you may feel like you’ll be able to turn them. Find ways to automate the process so you’re not wasting your time on someone who doesn’t respect your time.
Saying NO
You just get in business, you find someone who is interested and your instinct is to say yes to everything. You have the go-getter mentality. That’s the right mentality, but time will teach you to say NO sometimes. Especially when it comes to doing a lot of favors. This comes hard to me because I like to make sure everyone is happy in the equation, but some people will take that kindness for weakness. More often than not, when I go out of my way to accommodate someone, I get burned.
It’s just not smart, and it goes back to keeping business business. I’ve found that when you just say no and shut up, it has a weird effect. So many people want to explain themselves after the NO, but when you don’t say anything and stand firm, the negotiations work more in your favor. Just like when you’re playing cards, a lot of times people just want to see who will fold first. Come in with your expectations, know your limits and be ready to walk if they’re crossed. The big thing is to being ready to walk. If you’re too attached to the situation, you’ll come back and negotiate your leverage away.
(In 2018, I talked to about 20 to 30 new people per day, a lot of NO’s, a lot of learning opportunities from self-generated marketing)